Rules

1 Rules (general)

We play according to the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Rules of Golf and whatever
Local Rules a course may apply, as modified from time to time by our own
rules and considerations of appropriate golfing etiquette.

The R&A is world golf’s rules and development body and organiser of The Open
Championship. It operates with the consent of more than 130 national and
international, amateur and professional organisations, from over 120
countries. The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the game’s governing
body in the United States and Mexico.

There are three categories of golfing rules.

• Firstly, there are the 34 official Rules of Golf. The Rules of Golf are
those approved by R&A Rules Limited and The United States Golf Association.
They are known as the Rules of Golf and are often referred to simply as "the
Rules". For clarity in this discussion, we will frequently refer to them as
the "R&A Rules” to distinguish them from other rules mentioned.

• Secondly, there are Local Rules which are provided for in the R&A Rules
and which golf clubs can choose to implement or not, at their discretion.
These are contained as an appendix to the R&A Rules. We call them “Local
Rules”.

• Thirdly, there are social club rules that any playing group such as ours
might choose to enunciate and adopt. We call our rules “St Leonards Rules”.

St Leonards Rules only apply when you are playing in a St Leonards Tax
Officers' Golf Club competition.

The St Leonards Tax Officers' Golf Club committee will administer the club
and apply all rules in a spirit of fairness and in the interests of all
players. The committee may canvass the views of any party when considering a
matter.

Without restriction, the committee reserves the right to vary any rule(s) at
any time.

The committee’s decisions in all matters will be final.

2 Ball Lost or Out of Bounds

Social golfing groups such as ours must be mindful of sensitivities around
slow play. Our aim is to prevent situations where following groups of
players are delayed by a ball of a player in a St Leonards group lost or out
of bounds (OB).

We remind players that, where they suspect a ball they just hit may be lost
or OB, they should, in keeping with the R&A Rules, hit a provisional ball.
We stress that the benefit of any doubt should be in favour of hitting a
provisional ball, not the assumption you will find a wayward ball.

However it is a St Leonards Rule that, in particular circumstances, players
may take a drop if their ball is lost or has gone OB.

In most circumstances, and in keeping with R&A Rules, if a player’s ball is
lost or OB and they have not hit a provisional ball, the player must return
to the point where the lost or OB ball was hit, and hit another ball.

The circumstances envisioned for application of the St Leonards Rule are
restricted to the extent that (a) only if, by the player returning to the
point from which the lost or OB ball was hit, excessive delay contributing
to slow play would occur, and (b) only with the approval of the other
players in the group, the player will instead be permitted to take a drop.

Factors to consider in players consenting to another player taking a drop in
this situation should include (for example) the proximity of the following
group (its presence on the tee or fairway would be persuasive in favour of
the drop) and whether a cart is available for the player whose ball is lost
or OB.

Where it is determined that a drop should be taken, the drop must be
performed as close as possible to the place where the original ball was last
sighted and not within two club lengths of the mown portion of the fairway.

R&A Rule 27-1c states that the amount of time given to attempt to find a
lost ball is 5 minutes.

We are attuned to expressions of concern as to overuse of this St Leonards
Rule. Players may speak in confidence to either or both of Messrs President
and Handicapper on this matter.

3 Preferred lies

Taking a preferred lie is a Local Rule that clubs may permit from time to
time, usually when they feel weather and ground conditions warrant. In the
US it’s a concession which is described as “Winter Rules”.

It is a St Leonards Rule that the preferred lie Local Rule is applied in all
our games. We adopted this measure in recognition of the high degree of wear
and tear to which many of the courses we play are subject.

On the fairways of any course we play (unless advised otherwise prior to
commencement) players may move their ball to another lie within 30cm (12
inches) of their ball’s resting position, in any direction but not closer to
the flag.

Note that the St Leonards preferred lie Rule applies only to the closely
mown portion of the fairway.

For the purposes of utilising the St Leonards preferred lie rule, players
should note that there are three elements to the playing surface between tee
and green:

The St Leonards Rule on preferred lies applies to the closely mown portion
of the fairway only. It does not apply on the light rough at the edge of the
fairway unless the course we are playing has invoked a Local Rule allowing
preferred lie through the green. It is usually only after bad weather that a
course allows preferred lie through the green. When it does so, a notice
advising players to that effect is usually placed at the first tee. When a
course allows preferred lie through the green you may take a preferred lie
anywhere on the course except on greens.

Where circumstances dictate, the President, or his nominee for the day, may
allow preferred lie through the green, even though notice to that effect has
not been posted by the course.

4 Cleaning the ball

The general rule is that you cannot lift and clean your ball except on the
green. However, as with all good golf rules there are exceptions.

R&A Rule 21 states that a ball that has been lifted under the [R&A] Rules
(e.g. ball unplayable, relief from an abnormal ground condition, relief from
a water hazard) may be cleaned — except in these three situations:

a.) to determine if it is unfit for play (R&A Rule 5-3);
b.) for identification (R&A Rule 12-2), in which case it may be cleaned but
only to the extent necessary for identification; or
c.) because it is assisting or interfering with play (R&A Rule 22).

Our view is that a ball having been lawfully lifted under a St Leonards Rule
– being our rule that makes permanent the occasionally implemented Local
Rule permitting preferred lies – cleaning is permitted under the R&A Rule
that permits cleaning of balls that have been lawfully lifted.

The effect of the St Leonards rule regarding preferred lies on cleaning the
ball:

You can take a preferred lie and clean your ball while it is lifted only if
you are on the closely mown part of the fairway, unless the course permits
preferred lie through the green on the relevant day, in which case you can
lift and clean at any time.

5 Shite Creek

5.1 Up Shite Creek

All of us at some time have found ourselves in a difficult position on the
golf course with respect to the lie of the ball and the proverbial paddle is
nowhere in sight.

If you find yourself in any of the following circumstances you should
consult with your marker. If the marker agrees with what you propose, you
just go ahead. If the marker thinks that another course of action is the
correct course, then you are supposed to play two balls, one from where you
as the player think it should be, and one from where the marker thinks it
should be.

Naturally this is likely to slow down play, which we don't want. If you are
close to the hole you can do it. If you are a long way out, on a par 4 or 5,
the lowest handicapper in the group, other than the player involved, must
make a decision and that is what will apply, whether right or wrong. The
reasoning is that over time we will get it right.

5.2 Ball in Thick Rough

Play the ball as it lies. Don’t improve your lie, the area of your intended
stance or swing, or your line of play by:

(1) moving, bending or breaking anything fixed or growing, except in fairly
taking your stance or making your swing, or
(2) pressing anything down (R&A Rule 13-2), ie. you cannot tamp down the
grass behind the ball with your foot, or club to give yourself a better shot
at the ball.

5.3 Dropping the Ball.

When dropping, stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s
length and drop it. The three most common situations (of the nine situations in
R&A Rule 20-2c) where a dropped ball must be re-dropped are those where the ball:

(1) rolls to a position where there is interference from the condition from
which free relief is being taken (e.g. an immovable obstruction)
(2) comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it was dropped, or
(3) comes to rest nearer the hole than its original position, the nearest
point of relief or where the ball last crossed the margin of a water hazard.

In these cases you must take a second drop. If a ball dropped for a second
time rolls into any of these positions, you place it where it first struck
the course when re-dropped.

Under the R&A Rules you must mark where your ball is before taking the drop.

5.4 Ball in Water Hazard (yellow stakes) or Lateral Water Hazard (red
stakes)

Water hazards may be
marked by either RED stakes or lines, or YELLOW stakes or lines.

Water hazards with RED markers are
lateral water hazards. Lateral water hazards are those that, generally,
do not lie between the tee and the hole.

If a ball is found in a water hazard or if a player knows or is virtually
certain that their ball has gone into a water hazard, the player may:

(1) play the ball where it lies, within the hazard (point B in Diagram 1,
below), or

under penalty of one stroke,

(2) play a ball from or as near as possible to the spot from which the
original ball was last played, wherever that occurred along the line
from tee (point A) to entering the water hazard (point B in the diagram
below), or

(3) drop a ball behind the water hazard on a line extending backwards from
the hole through the point at which the original ball crossed the margin of
the water hazard, with no limit on how far the ball may be taken back. In
the example below the player would have to drop it on a straight line behind
D, through C, to the hole.

If a ball goes into a lateral water hazard (red stakes), the player has two
additional options:

(4) take a drop within two club lengths of the point at which the ball
crossed the margin of the hazard, and not nearer the hole (point C), or

(5) take a drop in an area on the opposite margin of the water hazard,
within two club lengths and not nearer the hole, from a point that is
equidistant to the hole as the point at which the ball entered the hazard
(point E). To clarify "equidistant", points C and E must be the same
distance from the hole.

Diagram 1: Water Hazard

5.5 Ball Unplayable (R&A Rule 28)

(Diagram 2, below, relates)

"The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course, except
when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to
whether his ball is unplayable" (R&A Rule 28). If you believe your ball is
unplayable, you may, under penalty of one stroke:

(1) play a ball from where your last shot was played, or
(2) drop a ball any distance behind the point where the ball lay, keeping a
straight line between the hole and the point where the ball lay, or
(3) drop a ball within two club-lengths of where the ball lay but not nearer
the hole.

Diagram 2: Unplayable Ball

Note that if you are well into the bush and you choose option (3) you must
drop within two club lengths. If you still have to chip out, such is life.

5.6 Casual Water in Bunker

If your ball comes to rest in casual water in a bunker, you may drop without
penalty at the nearest point of relief within the bunker, no nearer the
hole. That applies no matter what the condition is of the rest of the
bunker.

If the rest of the bunker is dry, great! But even if the entire bunker
contains water, the same R&A Rule applies – if you drop, then you must drop
within that bunker to avoid penalty. If the bunker is completely filled with
water, your only option to improve the situation without penalty, according
to the USGA Web site, is this: "… the player may drop the ball in the bunker
at a point that provides maximum available relief (ie, in 1 inch of water
rather than 5 inches)."

If you choose to drop outside the bunker then you incur a one stroke
penalty. The drop must be taken at a point outside the bunker that is in
line with where the ball lay and the hole, with no limit as to how far back
the drop may be taken.

A player in this position could deem the ball unplayable and subject to R&A
Rule 28 – see 5.7 following.

5.7 Ball in the Bunker and R&A Rule 28

If you hit the ball into a bunker, can you invoke R&A Rule 28 (refer to 5.5,
above).

As stated above, a golfer can declare any ball unplayable at any time, for
any reason and anywhere on the course other than in a water hazard. Under
penalty of one stroke the player may then:

(1) play a ball from where their last shot was played, or
(2) drop a ball any distance behind the point where the ball lay, keeping a
straight line between the hole and the point where the ball lay, or
(3) drop a ball within two club-lengths of where the ball lay but not nearer
the hole.

However, if you declare a ball in a bunker unplayable and use options (2) or
(3), you must drop within the bunker. These might be options to consider if
you have the ball right up under the lip of the bunker.

If you putt the ball across a green and into a bunker, option (1)
potentially provides the opportunity to retake the putt (with penalty).

An immovable obstruction is an artificial object on the course that cannot
be moved (e.g. a building) or cannot readily be moved (e.g. a firmly
embedded direction post). Objects defining out of bounds are not treated as
obstructions.

An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a hole,
cast or runway made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.

Note 1: abnormal ground conditions do not include tyre tracks unless there
is a Local Rule to say so.

Note 2: abnormal ground conditions do not include bare areas with no grass.

Note 3: Paths and tracks are considered artificial constructions and you can
take a drop without penalty, unless there is a Local Rule declaring them an
"integral part of the course", in which case you must play the ball as it
lies. Check the card.

Except when the ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is
available from immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when
the condition physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or
your swing. You may lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of the
nearest point of relief, but not nearer the hole than the nearest point of
relief (see Diagram 3, below).

Diagram 3, illustrating the term “nearest point of relief” in Rules
24-2 and 25-1 in the case of a right-handed player.

5.9 Other Rules and Circumstances

5.9.1 On the putting green, you may repair ball marks and old plug holes,
but not any other damage such as spike marks (R&A Rule 16-1). Under Decision
16-1c/4, it is illegal to repair spike marks anywhere in the vicinity of the
hole, regardless of whether or not they are in your current line of putt.
Note: once all players have putted out, spike marks may be repaired.

5.9.2 If you think a ball is yours but can’t see your identification mark,
after notifying your marker or opponent, you may mark the position of the
ball and lift it to identify it (R&A Rule 12-2). However, generally, you
should not pick up your ball, without reference to your marker, with the
exceptions of (a) on the green, and (b) under the preferred lie rule (see
section 3 above).

5.9.3 What if I think I will damage my club if I hit the ball where it is?
Answer: you have no choice but to invoke R&A Rule 28 and declare the ball
unplayable. See options under 5.5, above.

5.9.4 Local Rule 9 Anti-Doping – The Committee may require, in the
conditions of competition, that players comply with an anti-doping policy.

6 The sprinkler head query

Another recent query is along the lines of: if you are off the green and
there is a sprinkler head along the intended line of your ball to the hole,
can you move the ball?

Answer: The R&A Rules say NO. However, individual clubs are allowed to
introduce a Local Rule that says you can. If so, it should be printed on
your card as a Local Rule. It will probably refer to Immovable Obstructions.
Sprinkler heads are immovable obstructions. If the card for the course
you’re playing does not have a Local Rule allowing relief for immovable
obstructions, you get no relief.

7 Match Play Rules

A match consists of one side playing against another over a stipulated
round. In match play the game is played by holes.

We have two matchplay
competitions, being the Darlington Cup and the Clayton's Plate. Early
eliminations from the Darlington Cup may continue to enjoy the matchplay
experience playing the Clayton’s Plate.

7.1 R&A Rules (excerpted)

[3.2 a] “Result of Hole and Match

“(1) Winning a Hole.
A player wins a hole when:

The player completes the hole in fewer strokes
(including strokes made and penalty strokes) than the opponent,

The opponent concedes the hole, or

The opponent gets the general penalty (loss of
hole).

“If the opponent's ball
in motion needs to be holed to tie the hole and the ball is deliberately
deflected or stopped by any person at a time when there is no reasonable
chance it can be holed (such as when the ball has rolled past the hole
and will not roll back there), the result of the hole has been decided
and the player wins the hole.

“(2) Tying a Hole.
A hole is tied (also known as “halved”) when:

The player and opponent complete the hole in
the same number of strokes (including strokes made and penalty
strokes), or

The player and opponent agree to treat the hole
as tied (but this is allowed only after at least one of the
players has made a stroke to begin the hole).

“(3) Winning a Match.
A player wins a match when:

The player leads the opponent by more holes
than remain to be played,

The opponent concedes the match, or

The opponent is disqualified.”

[3.2 b] “Concessions

“(1) …A player
may concede the opponent's next stroke, a hole or the match:

Conceding Next Stroke. This is allowed
any time before the opponent's next stroke is made.

The opponent has
then completed the hole with a score that includes that conceded
stroke, and the ball may be removed by anyone.

A concession made
while the opponent's ball is still in motion after the previous
stroke applies to the opponent's next stroke, unless the ball is
holed (in which case the concession does not matter).

The player may
concede the opponent's next stroke by deflecting or stopping the
opponent's ball in motion only if that is done specifically to
concede the next stroke and only when there is no reasonable
chance the ball can be holed.

Conceding a Hole. This is allowed
any time before the hole is completed (see Rule 6.5), including
before the players start the hole.

Conceding the Match. This is allowed
any time before the result of the match is decided (see Rules 3.2a(3) and (4)),
including before the players start the match.

“…

“A concession is final
and cannot be declined or withdrawn.”

7.2
[Simultaneous matchplay and Stableford] Once your match is determined, that game is concluded, possibly
before reaching the 18th tee. When playing in a Club round, however, we
will normally be conducting a separate Stableford competition. Your
round should therefore continue over all 18 holes with each player
submitting a personal Stableford score for the day.

7.3
Timing of match play games

An important aspect of the conduct of the match play competitions is the
timely completion of each round. Outcomes deciding players successfully
progressing through the rounds must be determined before subsequent
rounds can take place.
Rules for completion of rounds must therefore be
strictly enforced.

St Leonards Rules regarding
match play deadlines for competition

7.3.1
A match between players drawn to play
each other comes on for play on the first occasion that both players are
present to play a scheduled Club round in the range of rounds spanned by
the relevant stage of the competition of which their match is a part.

7.3.2
[Playing earlier than the span of
matches covered by a stage] Where the identities of players drawn to
play a match become evident through normal development of the matchplay
draw prior to commencement of the stage of the competition that spans
the scheduled Club rounds of which their match is an element, they may,
by mutual consent, play their match prior to commencement of the
relevant stage.

7.3.3
[Alternative dates and courses] Players
due to play a matchplay game can agree to play at a subsequent scheduled
Club round within the range of Club rounds spanned by the stage of the
competition of which their match is a part.

7.3.4
Players due to play a matchplay game can
agree to play an alternative course and date to the scheduled Club
rounds, within the range of Club rounds spanned by the stage of the
competition of which their match is a part.

7.3.5
[Forfeit at scheduled Club round during
a stage] A player who declines to play a willing opponent in a matchplay
game when both players are present at a scheduled Club round in the
period spanned by the stage of the competition of which their match is
an element is deemed to have conceded the match.

7.3.6
[Forfeit at last scheduled Club round of
a stage] Where a match remains to be played at the end of the period
covered by the range of scheduled Club rounds of which the match is an
element, and one player is present and willing to play while one player
is unable to or declines to play the match, the latter player is deemed
to have conceded the match.

7.3.7 [Changing date of scheduled Club round]
The Committee reserves the right to alter the set dates on occasions on
which a Club round is postponed or cancelled because of any circumstance
including, for example, intemperate weather or other factors.

7.3.8 [Determining a winner] Where a match is
not otherwise decided by the final scheduled Club round for completion
of the relevant stage of the competition, the winner will be the side
that last played a scheduled Club round on or before the relevant
scheduled Club round on which the drawn opponent did not play.

7.3.9
[Resolving ties in match play.] Where a
match play game results in a tie the winner will be the player with the
best Stableford score, subject to rule 7.3.10.3,
below. Should the Stableford scores be equal the count back rules (rule
8, below) will apply.

7.3.10.1
In the interest of deciding matches
on the course, if players are tied after their first
game of match
play, they may agree to play a further game. This
game would be played
the next time these players are both present at a
scheduled Club round, so
long as it is before the final round for completion of the relevant
stage of the competition. Agreement to playing further
games must be
given freely. There is no element of compunction in this regard.

7.3.10.2 Should circumstances be such that
there is no possibility for a rescheduled match to be played at a St
Leonards round, the players may agree to play other
than on a
scheduled St Leonards round, so long as it is before the final round for
completion of the relevant phase of the competition. Again, agreement to
playing further rounds must be given freely and without compunction.

7.3.10.3
No matter how many
games a pair of opponents
may play in determining a match,
should the result be a tie, the winner will be determined by rule 7.3.9,
above. In the case of multiple games having been played, this rule will
apply to the last game played.

7.3.11 [Pace of Play]
In the interests of avoiding slow play, if both players have recorded
ten strokes for a hole and neither has sunk their ball, the hole is
halved for match play purposes. The cap of ten strokes is imposed to
match the maximum number of strokes beyond which any possibility of
scoring Stableford points is exhausted.

.

7.4 Handicaps in match play

Handicap concessions in match play are found using the match play index
provided on the relevant course’s scorecard. Infrequently, a course does not
provide a match play index on its scorecard. It is a St Leonards Rule that,
for a St Leonards match play game played at a course whose scorecard does
not show a match play index, our players should find their handicap
concessions using the St Leonards standard match play index.

The St Leonards standard match play index is shown on our Scoring page. You
can save the image from the website onto your computer or smart phone,
should you wish to have a copy for reference.

8 Resolving ties

Where a winner needs to be found from any number of tied scores in any of
our competitions (apart from the Bradman award), a count back will be performed. The
relevant Stableford scores of the tied competitors will be matched over the back nine,
then the last six, then, if necessary, the last 3 holes and finally,
hole-by-hole working backwards from the 18th, in that order, to the point at
which one player is found to have a better (ie, higher)
Stableford score over the holes examined
than the other tied player(s).

Our protocol for resolving ties in our Bradman novelty competition is to
follow the same countback procedures set out above with the difference that
the recipient of the award will be the player with the worst (ie, lowest)
Stableford score.